Food Tip // Prolonging The Life Of Your Herbs

While food is my current passionate pursuit, years ago I was once a full-time Floral Designer, and surprisingly enough it has actually helped me in my understanding of food and freshness. I like to treat my herbs as a “cut flower.” I like to first wash off any pesticides or bacteria that may be growing on the plant. Sometimes I just simply use water and other times I like to spray them with a mixture of distilled white vinegar and water. This helps remove the bacteria.

You’ll also want to strip off any leaves that may be hanging down near the stems. We will be placing these herbs in water and you do not want any leaves in the water (same is true for floral design) because it could inspire bacteria to grow. And the point of all this is to prolong the life of those herbs, right?

This next step is often forgotten, but very important. I give my herbs a fresh snip, just like I do when working with flowers.

This post is meant to highlight my favorite herb, cilantro. If you ask my dad if he likes cilantro he will give you a sour face and tell you “It tastes like dirt!” Haha! I guess you either love it, or you hate. I happen to think it’s one of the best ways to brighten a spicy or bold dish. It’s really pretty too!

So then, I place my cilantro in a sterile mason jar (because mason jars are so much cuter than cups) with a few inches of water so that the stems of my herbs rest completely in the water. With your herbs now in the mason jar, simply place it in the fridge and enjoy your fresh herbs for weeks to come. That’s right, weeks!